Ventilator



A. J. STILL VENTILATOR Feb. 18, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 1, 1955 INVENTOR. August :7. Still.

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Feb. 18, 1958 A. J. STILL 2,323,599

VENTILATOR Filed July 1, 1955 2 Sheets$heet 2 IN V EN TOR.

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United States Patent VENTILATOR August J. Still, Atchison, Kans.

Application July 1, 1955, SerialNo. 519,396

4 Claims. (Cl. 98'68) This invention relates to ventilator caps for chimneys, vent stacks and like ducts, wherein the outlet of gases is afiected by external air currents and has for its principal object to provide a ventilator. cap having means for increasing the draft and eliminating back drafts.

Another principal object of the invention is to provide a ventilator cap having means for effecting a jet action responsive to an induced air flow.

Further objects of the invention are to provide. a ventilator cap with an improved mounting for attachment to a chimney or stack without the use of guy wires or braces, to provide a ventilator cap having freely rotatable support on the flue mounting in combination with the feature. for creating the jet action to maintain optimum draft regardless of wind direction, to provide the upper portion of the ventilator with a hood structure forming a dead-air space above the outlet opening of the cap in cooperation with a screen to deflect external air currents, to provide a ventilator cap which excludes, moisture from the flue or vent on which it is mounted, and to provide a ventilator cap with means for dividing the draft .and cooperating with side deflectors in eliminating eddy currents in front of the outlet that may tend to occur responsive to wind blowing around the sides of the ventilator. g

It is also an object of the invention to provide a ventilator cap with a simple and effective vane which is stabilized by the draft dividing means for withstanding high wind velocities, yet which is extremely sensitive to light breezes.

' It is also an object of the invention to provide a ventilator cap for grain bins and elevators which is adapted for ready placement therethrough of a duct by which a vermifuge or the like is discharged into the grain.

Inaccornplishing these and other objects of the invention, I have provided improved structure, the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. lis a side elevational view of a chimney equipped with a ventilator cap constructed inaccordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the ventilator cap and the. upper portion of the mounting therefor, the section being taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3-.

' Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the ventilator and chimney on the line 33 of Fig. 1, and particularly illustrating the mounting of the ventilator cap on the chimney.

Fig. 4 is a cross section through the ventilator cap on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line 5-5' of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a cross section on theline 6-6 of'Fig. 3 and showing the chimney in plan.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

1 designates a ventilator cap and- 2 a mounting therefor on a chimney 3. The chimney illustrated is of masonry construction to form a vertical duct 4 that extends through theroofof a building for creating draft and discharging products of combustion from; various fuel burning appliances. "Such chimneys must maintain a given d-ra-ft and be free of down drafts, and eddy currents which interfere with proper draft in the chimney. When these conditions exist, the chimney is provided with a ventilator cap to increase the height of the chimney, eliminate down drafts, and make the external air currents effective in improving the chimney draft.

The present invention, therefore, provides a ventilator cap 1 and a base or mounting 2 which cooperate in providing a highly eflicient draft through the chimney 3 to.

eliminate back drafts under various wind velocities and directions. A part of the mounting 2 also serves as a flue extension 5 and. cooperates with the ventilator cap in creating a jet action under all external wind conditions, as to be later described. The extension 5 includes a cylindrical wall 6 having a diameter that preferably conforms to the size of the flue duct 4 and is of a length to locate the ventilator cap 1 at a desired distance above the top of the chimneyor roof to avoid as much as possible, adverse wind efiects produced by the ridge or gables of the roof, treesv and other obstructions surrounding the general area of the top of the chimney. The base extension 5 is suitably Welded to plate 7 adapted to seat on the chimney top 8. The plate 7 has an opening 9 through which gases pass from the chimney duct 4 into the extension 5 and through the open end 10 thereof into the ventilator cap. .The extension 5 is secured to the top of the chimney by an internalanchor 11 to eliminate external guy wires and braces.

The anchor 11 includes blocks 12 and'13 having faces 14 and 15 engaging thev inner faces 16 of opposite Walls of the chimney, asv shown in Fig. 3. The block 12 has a laterally extending stem. 17 provided with an externally threaded end 18 which is adjustably slidable within a tubularstem 19 on the block'12, responsive to tightening of a nut 20 that is mounted-on the threaded end 18 and which abutts against the end of the tubular shank 19.. When the nut is rotated, the shanks are moved apart to force the blocks 12 and 13 into contact with the inner faces 16 of the chimney. The anchor also includes a rod 21 having an eye 22 which passes one or the other of the stems 17 or 19 therethrough, to attach the lower end of the, rod. The upper end of the rod terminates below the open end, 10'of the extension 5 and extends through a hole 23 in the web24 of a channel bar 25. The. web of the channel bar 25 is arranged transversely of the extension 6 and has flanges 26 and 27 turned upwardly to seat a washer 28 thereon that is sleeved over the upper end of the rod and backed by a nut 29 connected with threads 30 of the rod. The channel bar 25 is secured within the extension by providing the ends of the flanges with cars 31 that are suitably attached to thelike 32, shown in Fig. 5,.

Mounted transversely in the upper end 10 of the extension and spaced above channel bar 25 is a similar channel. bar 33, but with the flanges 34 and 35 thereof turned downwardly and the web 36 upwardly. The ends of thechannel extend through notches 37 (Fig. 4) in opposite diametrical sides of the Wall 6 and are secured to a band38 that encircles the outer face of the wall 6. The ends of the channel bar, 33 are secured to the band 38 and the band is secured to the wall 6 by welding or the;like.- The band and cross bar 33 reinforces the upper end, of the extension 5 and forms a rigid support for a spindle 41.

The spindle 41 has a threaded lower end 42 which extends through a hole 43 in the web 36 of the cross bar 33 at a point coaxially of the extension 5. The threaded end of the spindle is fixed to the cross bar 33 by nuts 44 and 45, the nut. 45 seating against the upper face of the web and the nut 44 againstthe edges of the depending flanges 26 and 27. The spindle has a cylindrical face 46 which cooperates with an anti-friction bearing in the the wall 6, by rivets or form of a ball 47 to mount the cap 48 of the ventilator for rotation about the spindle (Fig. 2). The ventilator cap 1 includes a cylindrical sheet metal body 49 having a cylindrical wall 50 of larger diameter than the outer diameter of the tubular extension for forming an annular jet passageway 51 therebetween when the cap is mounted on the spindle. The upper end of the cap is closed by a hood 52 that is fixed to the upper end of the wall and terminates at the periphery in an annular downwardly flaring eave 53 of sufiicient width to protect an outlet opening 54 in one side of the cap. The lower end of the wall 50 terminates in an outwardly and downwardly flaring flange 55 to cooperate with the wall of the extension 5 to form an entrance or throat to the passageway 51, for a purpose later described.

The outlet opening 54 is preferably shaped to have vertical side edges 56 and 57 and projecting therefrom are outwardly directed wings 58 and 59. The wings 58 and 59 are parallel and may be formed by bending outwardly the portion of the material which is removed for forming the outlet opening 54. The upper end 60 of the opening is spaced below the under side of the top or hood 52, and the lower edge 60' is positioned slightly above the plane of the outlet end of the extension 5, as best shown in Fig. 2. The outlet opening 54 is covered with a barrier in the form of a screen having a mesh to discharge the vent gases therethrough but which acts to some extent in bathing exterior air currents from entering the interior of the ventilator cap. The position of the top of the opening, with respect to the top 52 of the ventilator, forms a dead-air space 62 in the upper portion of the ventilator cap which also acts to baflie inflow of exterior air currents into the interior of the ventilator cap.

Fixed to the under side of the cap 52 coaxially of the wall 50 is a tube or hub 63 which has an inner diameter to be free of contact with the face 46 of the spindle. In the illustrated instance, the tube 63 has threaded upper and lower ends 64 and 65 whereby the upper end is threaded into a flange 66 and the lower end carries a cap 67. The cap 67 has an opening 68 therethrough for accommodating the spindle therein. The lowerend of the tube 63 is stabilized by a rod 69 that is carried by the cap 67 and has its outer end abutting the wall 50 as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The flange member 66 has an open bottom extending through to a non-metallic disk 7% which is clamped between the under side of the top 52 and the flange 66 when the flange is fixed to the top 52 by fastening devices, such as bolts 71. The ball 47 seats upon the upper end 72 of the spindle and is retained in contact with the non-metallic disk so as to eliminate 4 the requirement of lubrication and noises when the ventilator cap is turning under the influence of the wind acting upon a wind vane 73.

The wind vane 73 has its major portion on the outlet side of the ventilator cap and includes an upper portion 74 that extends upwardly and partially across the center of the top 52, and has flanges 75 that are secured to the hood by fastening devices, such as rivets and bolts 76, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The upper portion 74 of the vane extends beyond the cave S3 and connects with a lower portion 77 that extends downwardly and outwardly from the vertical center of the outlet opening 54 to divided flow of gases through the outlet opening 54 and cooperate with the side wings or deflectors 58 and 59 to prevent the possibility of eddy currents forming at the outer side of the screen 61. The lower end of the portion 77 is fixed to the wall 49 at a point below the edge 60 of the opening by cars 78 that are attached to the wall 49 by fastening devices, such as rivets 79. The portion of the vane extending beyond the wall 49 passes through, a slot 80 in the hood.

The ventilator cap and base members 1 and 2 may be mounted on other forms of stacks than a chimney, in which case the plate 7' may be omitted. In these instances, "the extension 5 is merely telescoped over the end of the existing vent and secured thereto by the anchor previously described, in which case the blocks 14 and 15 will be suitably shaped to conform with the inner faces of the vent stack. In cases where the vent is mounted over a roof opening, as in the case of a grain bin 81, the base plate 32 may be shaped to conform to the shape of the roof to serve as flashing. Otherwise, the ventilator cap is of the same construction as that just described.

A ventilator constructed as described and illustrated in Fig. 7, permits easy introduction of vermifuge into the grain. For example, at the time of installation, a tube 83 may be installed in the bin and extended upwardly to terminate within the extention 5. Then when it becomes necessary to treat the grain, the ventilator cap is merely lifted sufliciently above the top of the extension 5 to permit connection of a hose 85 that leads to a source of chemical supply, not shown.

The ventilator may be installed on a chimney as follows:

The anchor 11 is assembled with the eye 22 passing over the shank 17 of the block 12. The nut 21 is then threaded onto the shank 17 and the tubular shank 19 of the block 13 is sleeved over the end of the shank 17. The assembly is initially adjusted so that the blocks 12 and 13 are passed downwardly through the open top of the chimney until the blocks 12 and 13' are in position where they are to be anchored upon turning of the nut 20 to move the nut outwardly on the threaded end of the shank 17 and crowd the block 13 into clamping engagement with the wall of the chimney with the block 12 serving as a stop on the opposite side. After the blocks 12 and 13 are securely wedged in the duct 4, the extension 5 is passed over the projecting end of the rod 21 so that the rod passes through the opening 23 in the cross bar 25 to permit seating of the plate 7' on the top of the chimney. The washer 28 and nut 29 are applied to the threaded upper end 30 of the rod 21 and tightened against the cross bar 25 to firmly seat the plate 7 on the chimney top. The spindle 41 is then secured to the upper cross bar 33 by passing the threaded end 42 thereof through the opening 68 and applying the nuts 44 and 47. The assembled ventilator cap 1 is then turned up side down to drop the ball 47 into the tube 63. The ball 47 is then held in position in the tube 63 while the ventilator cap 1 is righted and moved downwardly over the spindle 41 with the upper end of the spindle sliding through the opening 68 in the cap 67 until the ball 47, then resting on the upper end 72 of the spindle 41, seats against the non-metallic plate 70. When thus seated, the entire ventilator cap assembly rotates freely on the ball 47 with the lower or skirt portion of the wall 50 lapping the upper end of the extension 5 to form the passageway 51 whereby the exterior air, upon contact with the wall 6, is deflected upwardly through the passageway to induce upward flow of gasses from the chimney duct 4, which flow is increased as the wall 6 of the extension 5 heats the exterior air in contact therewith, whereupon the air arises through the annular passageway 51 to form the jet efiect even under calm exterior conditions. The chimney gases after entering the ventilator cap are discharged through the outlet opening 54 and in divided streams between the wings 58 and 59 and the divider 77 as to prevent the vented gases from forming eddy currents on the exterior side of the screen. The wings 58 and 59 cooperate with the cave portion 53 to exclude rain and other elements from the discharge opening 54 of the ventilator cap. 7 They also serve to direct wind currents that blow around the wall 50 in parallel streams to prevent eddy currents and possibility of back draft into the chimney. The vane, while being of small size and with the major portion located on the side of the outlet opening 54, keeps the ventilator discharge on the leeward side whereby the wind currents areat all times acting to effect discharge of the flue gases.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patents is:

1. A ventilator for chimneys and like vent stacks, said ventilator including a cylindrical base member adapted to form a continuation of a vent stack on which the ventilator is to be mounted, a cap member having a cylindrical body portion of larger diameter than the base member and having an open lower end to provide an annular space encircling the base member, said cylindrical body portion of the cap member being closed at its upper end and having a lateral generally rectangular outlet opening in a side thereof, means rotatably mounting the cap member coaxially of the base member to maintain said annular space for the passage of air therethrough and discharge of the air through said lateral outlet to induce an upward flow through the base member for discharge through said lateral outlet, and a vane projecting upwardly from the closed top of the cap member and having a portion depending in the vertical longitudinal median of the outlet opening for the full height of the lateral outlet and projecting exteriorly therefrom to be swept by air currents sweeping around the body portion of the cap member to maintain the outlet opening of the cap member on the leeward side of said all currents.

2. A ventilator for chimneys and like vent stacks, said ventilator including a cylindrical base member adapted to form a continuation of a vent stack on which the ventilater is to be mounted, a cap member having a cylindrical body portion of larger diameter than the base member and having an open lower end to provide an annular space encircling the base member, said cylindrical body portion of the cap member being closed at its upper end and having a lateral generally rectangular outlet opening in a side thereof, means rotatably mounting the cap member coaxially of the base member to maintain said annular space for the passage of air therethrough and discharge of the air through said lateral outlet to induce an upward flow through the base member for discharge through said lateral outlet, a vane projecting upwardly from the closed top of the cap member and having a portion depending in the vertical longitudinal median of the outlet opening for the full height of the lateral outlet and projecting exteriorly therefrom to be swept by air currents sweeping around the body portion of the cap member to maintain the outlet opening of the cap member on the leeward side of said air currents, and baflles extending substantially the full height of sides of the outlet and having less projection than said depending portion of the vane to prevent the currents that sweep around the sides of the body portion from entering said outlet opening without deflecting the air currents from contact with the depending portion of said vane.

3. A ventilator for chimneys and like vent stacks, including a cylindrical base member adapted to form a continuation of a vent stack on which the ventilator is to be mounted, a cap member having a cylindrical body portion of larger diameter than the tubular base member and having an open lower end to provide an annular space encircling the base member, said cylindrical body portion of the cap member being closed at its upper end and having a lateral outlet opening in a side thereof, a spindle having its lower end fixed to the base member and extending upwardly in the axis of the cap member, a tube fixed to the closed end of the cap member and depending therefrom in sleeved relation with the spindle, a ball within said tube between the closed end of the cap member and the upper end of the spindle, a vane projecting upwardly from the closed upper end of the cap member and having a portion depending in the vertical longitudinal median of the outlet and extending the full height thereof in projection exteriorly of the cap member to be swept by air currents sweeping around the body portion of the cap member to maintain the outlet opening of the cap member on the leeward side of said air currents, and a stabilizing rod projecting radially from the lower portion of the tube on the side opposite said outlet opening and engaging the cylindrical body portion on the side engaged by the wind currents to maintain axial alignment of the cap member with the body member.

4. A ventilator for chimneys and like vent stacks including a cylindrical base member adapted to form a continuation of a vent stack on which the ventilator is to be mounted, a cap member having a cylindrical body portion of larger diameter than the tubular base member and having an open lower end to provide an annular space encircling the base member, said cylindrical body portion of the cap member being closed at its upper end and having a lateral outlet opening in a side thereof, a spindle having its lower end fixed to the base member and extending upwardly in the axis of the vcap member, a tube fixed to the closed end of the cap member and depending therefrom in sleeved relation with the spindle, a ball within said tube between the closed end of the cap member and the upper end of the spindle, a vane projecting upwardly from the closed upper end of the cap member and having a portion depending in the vertical longitudinal median of the outlet and extending the full height thereof in projection exteriorly of the cap member to be swept by air currents sweeping around the body portion of the cap member to maintain the outlet opening of the cap member on the leeward side of said air currents, a stabilizing rod projecting radially from the lower portion of the tube on the side opposite said outlet opening and engaging the cylindrical body portion on the side engaged by the wind currents to maintain axial alignment of the cap member with the body member, and baffies extending the length of sides of the outlet and having less projection than said depending portion of the vane to prevent the currents that sweep around the sides of the body portion from entering the sides of said outlet opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 142,909 Gardenwine Sept. 16, 1873 661,919 Newmarker Nov. 13, 1900 851,289 Horvath Apr. 23, 1907 927,072 Proffitt July 6, 1909 1,807,109 Wagar May 26, 1931 2,763,197 Ferris Sept. 18, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 9,663 Switzerland Dec. 22, 1894 25,035 Great Britain 1907 

